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Two weeks ago my neighbours had a bonfire that started at noon and lasted four hours and totally enveloped my last colony that previously when I inspected , were thriving and warm through the crown board (clear poly carbonate so I can see them without disturbance.) checked afterwards and...

Hi all, quick question: I have quite a lot of honey in frames that got a bad attack of wax moth so froze them to kill the moth. I would like to crush the comb and give the drained honey back to the bees but at this time should I dilute it at all before putting in the feeders of let them take it...

Hi guys, need some advice please. I have had a massive wax moth invasion which has resulted in having to put a lot of honey frames into my solar wax extractor. Temperature monitored and between 120-140 degrees C. Which should kill any bacterial infection. The resultant residue is the wax and a...

Hi All, need help here! 1st inspection today on both my colony's. All good re BIAS and bees, as have overwintered with plenty of stores and insulation. Could not find queens as quick inspection so was just looking at health of hives (BIAS) Both colony's on brood and half with super under...

Hi all - just thought I should pass on a really bad error I made last night - and quickly rectified. Story is this: I have just finished the last Apiguard treatment on my hives and took off the tin trays prior to starting the winter feed as the hives are quite light. In my ignorance, as there...

Hi All - have a question that I hope someone can offer advice. All my rapid feeders have been used to give the bees cappings to clean up post extraction and they achieved a good job but in the process have clogged up everything with wax and propolis. I have cleaned most of it off and want to put...

Just taken off a super and as normal fed the cappings back. Small pool of honey ca. 5cm. diameter and 5mm deep and what did I find tonight - around 50 bees 'drowned' in the pool and a few totally covered. Plenty of bees on cappings and looking fine. Is it a case of the girls can't hold their...

Lots of ants climbing up the stand legs and getting up on top of crown board. Was going to dust around the stand with NI**ON ant powder till I read the safety data sheet (permethrin VERY toxic to bees). Any one got a good method? Lateral thinking..........ants contain formic acid and formic acid...

Quick question - bees bringing in bucket loads of Ivy pollen yesterday and this morning. Anyone know if this is as good as spring pollen? I know that Ivy 'stores' can solidify so the bees can't use it but is the pollen a good winter feed or are they stocking up for brood in spring. Can't seem to...

Been stripping old frames in solar extractor and came across a couple of bars with significant 'chewing/boring'. Hole size around 6mm and into top bar of hoffman DN4 frame. Could it be wax moth as seemed to be cocoon in the top bar but after 120°C in the solar not much left to identify. The ends...

Went to super up today and took one of my supers from last year which had a quarter capped honey and the rest was uncapped but stable. Took a frame out to check and the uncapped honey was like water and evidence of bubbles ie. fermenting; also a smell of vinegar. Question: would this be ok to...

:thanks::thanks::thanks: Just got a swarm (3 pm)- and it's not from one of my hives as inspected yesterday. I was desperately in need of something like this as my second hive is in very poor state of decline. Seem to be very friendly - I didn't really need my suit but time will tell. Just...

Expanded my strongest hive from Nat. To 14x12 a couple of weeks ago - inspected two days ago and added another deep frame after the two added previously had started being drawn well. Really pleased with getting this colony through the winter as they had multiple swarmed last year and I was left...

Just seen the forecast on the Beeb. How are our colonies going to get through this? I feel for you guys up north of the west country when you can't even get to your hives to help them. I'm struggling down here and it's only -1°C. Dare not open my hives to move the feeder holes (as advised by...

Hope you have all prepared for the cold - down here in glorious sunny Devon the temperature has just dropped 1° to 2.5°C in 10 minutes and the wind is increasing. Not known this quick change before - "the day after tomorrow?" P.

Need advice guys! Treated both my hives back in early september with Apilife VAR as I did last year and monitored : both declined over the 4 week period with a peak at the end (as last year) so was reasonably happy but just to make sure gave both a dose of icing sugar to 'clean up'. result : -...

Sorry if I'm bee'ing green here but a quick question. Bees are bringing in loads of ivy pollen but hives still a bit light for my satisfaction. Reckon each one has put on ca. 4 Kgs with the pollen but how good is this vis a vis honey/feed. I have around 20lbs. of honey that I haven't bottled yet...